Prehistoric Problems
by Daisyz
Summary: Dinosaurs and the oatmeal man. Only the Charmed Ones could pull that one off...
1. Default Chapter

Prehistoric Problems  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any or its characters.  
  
AN: This is a three-person-narrated-story. Sure thats a word. I am writing Paige's point of view. Aqua will write Piper's and Mac will write Phoebe's. This is just like our other super spiffy story, Lost on Cloud 9. Check it out!   
  
Daisy  
  
"Piper, is that all?" I asked, as I slowly pushed the squeaky shopping cart down the isle of the grocery store. Piper sighed and glanced down at the crumpled list she was holding.   
  
"Um, no. We need breakfast food, Paige. I think it's on the next isle." I followed Piper around the corner and watched as she began chucking various boxes of cereal and pop-tarts into the cart. Deciding to be helpful, I turned to the shelf beside me. "How about some oatmeal?" I inquired half- heartedly, selecting a box of Quaker instant oatmeal.   
  
"Sure I guess. Leo likes it and Wyatt probably will too." I nodded and let the box slip from my grasp to the growing pile of assorted groceries in front of me.   
  
"Can we go now Piper?" I begged impatiently. Phoebe conveniently had to work today so I had been volunteered to go along on this week's shopping trip. I don't really enjoy grocery shopping.   
  
"Yeah, I believe that's everything. Let's go pay," she responded and began to head to the nearest check out line.   
  
"Finally", I mumbled, though apparently too loudly, because she spun around and sent me one of her famous 'watch-it' glares. I shot back a wide grin, to which she smirked and continued on her way.  
  
***  
  
"Paige can you get the last two bags from the car. I should go relieve Leo of Wyatt for a while. He's probably ripping his hair out," Piper said laughing.   
  
"Sure" I replied joining in her laughter. The thought of Leo with no hair was rather amusing to us. As Piper trotted up the stairs, I stepped out into the cool San Francisco air to retrieve the groceries. Back inside, I began placing the items in their appropriate places, but suddenly stopped and sighed. This is so routine, I thought glumly. I mean yeah we don't exactly lead your typical ordinary lives, but it is still the same thing pretty much every day. Demon attacks, we vanquish, move on with our lives until the next time. I want something different. I want something out of the ordinary, more exciting. Suddenly I was drawn out of my musings by the painful heat sensation in my hands. Glancing down, I realized that I was holding the box of oatmeal. I quickly dropped it and stroked my now tender palm. That's weird, I thought and turned my gaze down to the box. "Creepy Quaker dude" I muttered.   
  
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Looking up, I found Piper standing in the doorway, Wyatt on her hip, and a quizzical expression on her face.   
  
"Were you actually talking to the groceries Paige?" she asked grinning. "I mean I know you don't like grocery shopping, but I didn't really think it was so bad as to make you lose your mind." I narrowed my eyes at her in annoyance, which only succeeded in provoking her laughing at me. She handed me Wyatt and proceeded to help put away groceries.  
  
"I wasn't talking to it and never mind that. Where's Phoebe? Isn't she supposed to be home by now?" I questioned, conveniently changing the subject.   
  
"Leo said she called before we got home. She's on her way."  
  
"Good, we should probably get to Darryl's sons' party before it ends. Don't you think?" I questioned sarcastically. Positioning Wyatt with one arm I used the other to cautiously and swiftly move the suspicious oatmeal to the cupboard.  
  
"You know very well that it isn't just her fault we are missing half the party. We've all been busy." Piper defended. Before I could come up with another comment to throw back, the front door slammed and Phoebe burst into the kitchen, mumbling something about love-sick men and plants. I jumped as she threw her bag down on the table right in front of me and flounced down into a chair.   
  
"Whoa, bad day lady?" I inquired.   
  
"Apparently having my column turned in by tonight is not good enough for Jason. He needs it in 3 hours," she stated, laying her face in her hands. Suddenly, her head shot up and she turned towards me.   
  
"Oh my god, the birthday party. I can't go."   
  
"Oh yes you can, you have to" I declared.   
  
"We told Darryl we were all going to be there, because we haven't seen the wife and kids in a while." Phoebe sighed heavily and glanced at Piper.  
  
"Ok, fine. Piper, did you get a present?"   
  
"Yeah, I went out this morning and got something. Darryl said he likes dinosaurs, so I got this plastic dino that makes sounds when you press the little button," Piper replied.   
  
"Nifty. Alright, we ready to go? Where's Leo?" I questioned. "Upstairs. Let's go get him."  
  
Little did we know that as we headed upstairs, the cupboard creaked open revealing the oatmeal box. The Quaker man dissolved off the box and transformed into corporal form. Glancing up the stairs he grinned and cackled evilly.   
  
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	2. chapter 2

Prehistoric Problems  
  
Chapter 2  
  
By: Daisyz, Andie-p, and Aqua4  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters from Charmed, except maybe the Oatmeal Man, but that's just a technicality. We're just borrowing the characters for the purpose of the story; we'll give them back.eventually.  
  
AN: Okay, this is from Phoebe's POV, meaning, that it was written by me (Andie-p). ok, enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"God!" I groan for the third time. My room looks like a war zone from all the clothes I've thrown around. "Phoebe, can you turn in your column by tonight?" I said mocking Jason. "Sure, why not? It's not like I have anything to do. I mean saving the world from demons, and warlocks can wait!" I said chucking another shoe into a pile.  
  
"Whoa!" Piper exclaimed. "Angry much?"  
  
"Actually, yeah. I'm just tired of having my plate so full. I want to have a real life, but I have this 'the almighty charmed ones' thing."  
  
"Aww.sweetie. Let's get Paige and get some ice cream before we have to make an appearance at the party. I mean, we're already late, so why not?" she said, trying to comfort me.  
  
"That'd be great. Where is Paige anyway?" I asked. We start maneuvering our way out of the Labyrinth of clothing.  
  
"Oh, she's still looking for wrapping paper"  
  
"Oh." I begin to make my way down the steps when I heard a thump. "Piper.what was that?" I inquired nervously.  
  
"How the hell should I know?"  
  
I start creeping down the stairs, and peer over the banister. There lying in the middle of the floor is and oatmeal box. "Did you leave an oatmeal box in the middle of the floor?" I looked back at her.  
  
"No. I thought Paige put it away.that girl." She muttered as she went in search of our other sister. I stood there like an idiot, just staring at the box until Piper came back with Paige in tow.  
  
"I told you already Piper; I put it away, honest." Paige assured Piper. Thump! At that, three sets of eyes peered over the banister. I saw a figure emerge from the shadows.  
  
"Oh crap." I gasped. It was the ever famous Quaker guy from the oatmeal box.  
  
"See, I told you the Quaker dude was evil!" Paige triumphantly grinned.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. But what do we do about it?" Piper asked as-a-matter-of- factly, effectively wiping the smirk from Paige's face.  
  
The Oatmeal Man looked around, and spotted the toy dinosaur we were planning on giving Darryl Jr. for his birthday. We slowly started to walk down the stairs, deciding that we should so *something*.  
  
"Alright Miss smarty pants, what's your big plan now?" I scoffed in Paige's direction. She didn't say anything, because she was staring at the toy dinosaur that had begun to grow.  
  
"That can't be good." Piper muttered.  
  
The Oatmeal Man pointed to the dinosaur, and then outside; and the dinosaur disappeared. We each looked at each other with an expression of shock plastered to our faces.  
  
"That definitely can't be good." Piper again muttered.  
  
"Where'd it go?" I asked.  
  
"I think it's outside." Paige remarked off-handedly while leaning around a corner to get a better look out the window that was positioned across the room.  
  
"So you're saying that there's a real, live dinosaur in our backyard?" I asked, trying to make sense of what was happening. Without warning, the ground starts to rumble, and we hear a loud roar.  
  
"No.that means there's a dinosaur loose in San Francisco." Piper answered.  
  
"How the hell are we supposed to fix that?" Paige asked tentatively. Before we could answer, the Oatmeal Man had spotted us. He cackled evilly, and pointed at us; then everything went black.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
I woke up on the ground, surrounded by a multitude of trees, and various exotic flowers that I'd never seen before. "Where am I?" I groaned, struggling to sit upright. I heard two other moans coming from either side of me.  
  
"What the hell just happened?" Piper queried, standing up and brushing herself off.  
  
"The Oatmeal Man." Was the only thing that Paige said.  
  
"Are we where I think we are?" I asked, looking at our surroundings. I hoped upon hope that we were just in some remote forest somewhere in California.  
  
"Where would that be?" Piper asked, also looking around.  
  
"Umm.Prehistoric times?" I muttered dejectedly.  
  
"Oh yeah. I *definitely* think so." Paige said.  
  
I started to get frustrated at Paige's lack of helpful contributions to the situation. "You know, this is all your fault. You were complaining about how you needed a change in scenery. Is this a big enough change for you?!?" I yelled at my younger sibling.  
  
"How is this my fault? I told you guys about the creepy Quaker dude, but you didn't listen!" she yelled back.  
  
We kept firing insults back and forth, and arguing about how we have no idea of how to get back to Wyatt, Leo, and our 'normal' lives. Fed up with our childish behavior, and taking over as "mommy", Piper yelled," Would you two shut up?!? It'll be okay! We just.just have to think of something."  
  
She sighed, and I glared at Paige, and sat down on a nearby tree stump, hoping that we would figure something out soon.  
  
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	3. chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I do not in any way, shape, or form own Charmed or any of its characters. Dang....  
  
AN: This is Piper's POV cuz I'm Aqua and I write Piper's POV. Here goes nothing... you had best review my friends... ;-)  
  
Prehistoric Problems   
  
~ Aqua ~   
  
I didn't think I got migraines. Not until these two sent me to the jurrasic era and started screaming at eachother. I thought my whole middle-child negotiating thing was through but no, that would be too good to be true.  
  
"You guys! Quit attacking eachother and lets try and fix this... mess." I sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.  
  
Phoebe arched her eyebrow, "and how are we supposed to fix this? We're stranded!"  
  
"Maybe I can orb us home," Paige suggested as she squenched her eyes in an attempt to orb. She shrugged when nothing happens.  
  
"Maybe I can orb us home," Phoebe mocked waving her hands in the air sarcastically.  
  
"Okay! Paige, stop trying to orb-- you look constipated. Phoebe, you're not helping!" There was silence and I began speaking again in a strained voice, "let's just see if our powers even work." I flung my hands at a wild looking shrub, shards of weeds flung into the air and floated to the ground softly.  
  
"Okay, if your powers work, then why don't mine?" my youngest sister asked.  
  
"Try calling for something. See if that works," Phoebe suggested.   
  
Paige extended her hand and, her eyes set on a twig a few feet away, called for it. A cluster of white lights surrounded it and it magically appeared in her palm a second later. "Okay... I thought our powers didn't work when we went back into the past," Paige stated.  
  
I shook my head, "they generally don't, so I'm not really sure what the hell is going on."  
  
We stood in silence, not sure of what to do. Suddenly a something-saurus went scurrying past at the height of about three feet.  
  
"Oooooh!" Phoebe pointed at the dinosaur, "what was that?!"  
  
"Hell if I know, let's get out of here," I said, turning to run in the opposite direction as something that was most definitely not a bird soared across the sky. Paige and Phoebe followed me until I stopped and leaned against a tropical-looking tree.  
  
"What is it?" asked Paige.  
  
I smiled weakly, "we don't even know where we're running to. For all we know a T-rex could be 50 feet yonder." There was no reply. "Joke guys. Just a joke. Okay..."  
  
"Ugh!!! What are we doing here? And how does this all connect to the oatmeal guy?!" Phoebe shouted, enraged.  
  
"Shh, you don't wanta wake any monkeys," Paige said difinitively as Phoebe shook her head and sighed. I was pulled out of my state of concentration when Phoebe gasped. I looked at Paige. We both knew she was having a premonition. She took a breath as she came out of her hypnotic state.  
  
"What'd you see?" I inquired.  
  
Her eyes were wide like moons and she not only looked surprised, but slightly afraid, "I saw. I dunno what I saw. I think though that it was in the past, or future. Our future, this place's past."  
  
"What are you trying to say?" I said slowly, "that this is not the past-- this is the future?"   
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   
  
The manor was eerily empty and Leo walked slowly from room to room, Wyatt nestled in his arms. The baby made gurgling noises and Leo replied, "I'm not sure where Mommy is, little guy." He exhaled lightly and orbed out with Wyatt. Soon, they were 'up there' with the Elders in a palace of white.   
  
"What is your business here, Leo?" one of them asked rudely.  
  
"I'm sure you know already," Leo said slightly coldly, "where is Veritas?"  
  
"If you have legitimate reason to be bothering us and toting your infant around with you, then you can just as easily ask me than another elder."  
  
"You are biast to anything I ever ask you, Kalen, and you have been ever since I married Piper. I need to speak to someone who will give me a straight answer. This is important," he countered.  
  
"Does it have to do with Piper?" he asked knowingly.  
  
"AND her sisters."  
  
The elder glared at the whitelighter, who glared just as harshly.  
  
"Where are they? I know that you know," Leo asked, obvious concern saturating his voice, "please, you have to tell me. You can't hold a grudge against me forever just because I married one of my charges."  
  
"I can and I will, but I will tell you what happened to the Charmed Ones, only so you'll leave me alone. They have been sent to the future and must figure out how to keep the future from occuring as it will unless they do something about it."  
  
"How far into the future?" Leo bounced his son a little to entertain him.  
  
"Many years," he answered vaguely.  
  
"Ten, twenty...?" Leo prodded.  
  
"Look! You are a whitelighter! They are supposed to figure it out, not you!"  
  
"They aren't going to understand unless you do something to help them! It's my job to protect those girls and you're not going to stand in my way." Wyatt started crying and Leo propped him against his shoulder, attempting to comfort the child. He whispered, "send Phoebe a vision."  
  
"I know you're used to breaking the rules, but we don't do that here. It would alter what's meant to be."  
  
Leo scrunched his face in frustration, "that's what you're doing by sending them there in the first place!"  
  
"Fine. You owe me, Leo."  
  
Leo smirked and orbed back to the house with Wyatt to try and figure some things out for himself.   
  
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	4. chapter 4

Phoebe nodded grimly as an answer to Piper's question, and I stood there unable to comprehend.  
  
"Wait, wait!" I gasped. "That can't be right. The dinosaurs, the-the freaky looking plants and stuff, they are definitely from the past!"  
  
"Yeah, I know Paige. But I also can tell around what time period my premonitions are and, I don't know how, but this one was from the future."  
  
"Ok, look," Piper intervened before another fight could start. "If we are in the future, which apparently we are, then I'm sure there has to be some way to open a portal or something. I mean we've done it before."  
  
As I opened my mouth to respond, a horrible screeching sound filled our ears and the only thing I found myself able to do was grip my hands tightly over my ears. I gazed at my sisters, who were mimicking my actions. Suddenly something over their shoulders caught my eye and I glanced up to view one of the most repulsive, terrifying creatures I had ever seen. Staggering back, I pointed wordlessly at it, and my sisters swiftly spun around to face the creature. Abruptly, I turned and ran, Piper and Phoebe right at my heels.  
  
"Paige! Cave, over there!" I followed Piper's gaze and saw a rather small obscure looking opening in the side of a crumbly cliff. I quickly concluded that this creature was too big to fit in the opening, and ignoring my instincts telling me this wasn't a good idea, I concentrated only on the hungry beast thundering behind us. We flew into the dark dusty cave, and stopped only when we were sure we were far enough from the opening that the animal couldn't reach us.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Phoebe questioned between gasps of breath.  
  
"I dunno," I responded distractedly, as I peered at our surroundings. "Definitely not something I've ever seen in a history book."  
  
"You know Paige is right" Piper stated. "These dinosaurs are not like anything I've seen in movies or museums or anything. They're.different."  
  
"Yeah." Phoebe agreed, eyes squinted in concentration.  
  
While Piper and Phoebe reasoned our situation, I wandered slightly farther down the passage. The ground became rockier, more uneven, and I found myself having to use the damp walls to balance myself as I climbed mini- mountains. My steps became hesitant when the ground became less stable beneath me and eventually I halted my progression. Glancing back quickly to confirm that my sisters we're still in my view, I stooped down to examine the cause of the faulty ground. I was grateful for the dim light that reached this far from the outside of the cave, and with it I observed that there was, in fact, only a thin layer of jagged earth ahead. The earth, however, also looked different. Not like normal dirt we were used too. Through holes in that layer I could see beneath it, it seemed, another sort of cave. How far of a drop it was to the bottom of that lower cavern, I wasn't sure, for the light did not extend down there.  
  
"Paige! Where did you go?!" Piper called suddenly. The unexpected noise intruded my silent exploration, startling me, and I lost my balance, toppling sideways. I screamed as I collapsed through the layer of earth which I had been previously examining, and fell, around 10 feet I gathered, to the bottom of the cave below. My head violently met the rough ground and pain rushed through my entire body. As I was showered with large pieces of debris that had followed in my wake, I faintly heard my sisters scream my name and rush over to the edge of the opening I had formed, and then I reluctantly welcomed the oncoming darkness.  
  
***********  
  
"It's ok Wyatt," Leo soothed as his son continued to wail. "Mommy is alright. For now anyway," he sighed, aiming more at assuring himself than his infant son. Only within the last hour had he been able to establish a faint connection with the girls. He could sense them, but barely. He closed his eyes once again in concentration, desperate to retain the minute link.  
  
Suddenly he sensed something else: a tiny jab of pain. Immediately his whitelighter instincts exploded into action, informing him of what he needed to know. One of them was hurt. Had he possessed a stronger bond, the pain would have been more intense, but as it was, it was a wonder he felt it at all. He carefully set Wyatt in his playpen and focused on identifying which sister was hurt. Wyatt ceased his cries, somehow sensing the urgency of the situation, and watched his father quietly.  
  
Paige, Leo finally decided. She was hurt. He didn't know how and he didn't know where, but he did know that the girls needed his help. Grabbing Wyatt, he orbed up to the attic, appearing precisely in front of the wooden pedestal, which held The Book of Shadows. Throwing open the worn leather cover with the arm not presently holding Wyatt, he frantically searched for the spell he knew was in there, but had hoped they would never be forced to use.  
  
"Screw the elders" he voiced aloud, mostly just to fill the irritating silence created by the tension. "I can't just sit here, relying on Phoebe's premonition as the only thing to help them. Not while Paige is hurt and the others could be hurt at any time. I just won't do it." He sighed in temporary relief as he discovered the spell he had been hunting for. "I really hope this works." Taking one more glance at Wyatt for encouragement, he hastily began the incantation. 


	5. chapter 5

"Oh my God, Paige." I ran towards the area where I had seen mounds of stone collapse on top of my   
  
youngest sister. I was in such a panic, I stumbled and nearly killed myslef on the way to her. Phoebe was   
  
already there, struggling to relinquish Paige from her burden of rocks.  
  
"Oh my God. Oh my God," Phoebe's voice was coiled in tears, "Paige, please answer me. Answer me,   
  
damn it!"   
  
It hurt to see Phoebe, steady and strong, so frazzled.  
  
"Calm down," I said between my own anguishes, "she's fine."  
  
We both ignored our doubts and struggled to beat the boulders and debris off of our sister's limp body.   
  
Finally we had cleared the way and we could see Paige's frail body. A trickle of blood decorated her pale   
  
pallet. Two of Phoebe's fingers came together on Paige's neck, longing for a percussion of blood running. I   
  
looked hopefully for an encouraging sign in my sister's face.   
  
Phoebe looked at me and whispered, "she's barely alive."  
  
I sniffed a little and brushed away tears that still ran at the thought of what almost had happened, "Leo!   
  
Leo! Please, Leo!"  
  
There was no response and Phoebe's breaths grew almost as panicked as mine as she clutched her little   
  
sister's wrist, kissing it gently.  
  
"Leo! Leo. Leo," I stopped shouting as my voice was growing raspy with the bulge in my throat, "this can't   
  
be happening again. Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know. He's our only hope. I'm not leaving her, not like this," Phoebe knelt on the dusty ground, still   
  
holding Paige's hand.  
  
I brushed a stray lock of golden hair out of the ill woman's eyes and breathed deeply for my own relief.   
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
"Here we go, little guy. Don't be scared. Without your witch half, this spell won't work," Leo spoke to his   
  
little boy. The whitelighter stood in the dark attic with a pentogram of candles set up around the oriental   
  
rug matting the wooden planks. In the center, lay the Book of Shadows on a pedestal with Leo and Wyatt   
  
before it, prepared to cite the spell. Leo placed the lighter back on the pedestal and stroked the page slightly   
  
before speaking.  
  
  
  
"In this night and in this hour,  
  
I call upon the ancient power.  
  
This ancient power, bring to me,  
  
to save the three heiress' whose needs be."  
  
  
  
A flitting mist of white lights tunneled around him and Leo clung to his blond-haired child as they   
  
embarked on a journey to nobody knew where.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
"We can't sit here waiting for help that's never going to come!" I kicked a stone and winced as it hit the   
  
wall and the sharp sound reverberated down the cave.  
  
"Let's just think. This whole thing started with the Oatmeal guy right? How could it all connect?" Phoebe   
  
tried to calm me.  
  
"Listen to yourself! You're talking about some quaker man on an oatmeal box!"   
  
"I know, but," she ceased talking.  
  
"I'm sorry," my face grew appologetic, "I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just so frustrated right now with   
  
Paige and Leo and everything's just gone crazy."  
  
"I know, sweetie."  
  
I suddenly heard the familiar gurgling of my very own baby. Turning, I was caught off guard by the glare   
  
of the lights that presented a form holding a much smaller person.  
  
"Piper, you're okay," I relished in the melodic sound of my husband's sweet voice.  
  
"Leo, how on earth did you get here?" I embraced him, wrapping my arms around both the angel and the   
  
child.  
  
Phoebe sighed, "if this even is earth."  
  
"Well," Leo smiled weakly, kissing my forehead, "I kinda said the crisis spell that your mother wrote in   
  
case something ever happened to the three of you and nobody knew what to do."  
  
"Its okay, honey, this is a crisis. We don't know what to do. But wait, you're not a witch. Only witches can   
  
use those spells," I inquired.  
  
"Ah yes," Leo grinned, placing our child in my arms, "I am not a witch, but Wyatt is. It was his power that   
  
got us here. I just verbalized it."  
  
"Quick, Leo, heal Paige," Phoebe interrupted, standing out of the way.  
  
Leo quickly fell to his knees and let his hands hover over Paige's chest. The warm glow of golden light   
  
glistened over the snow white skin of the youngest sister. Phoebe and I stood holding hands, and I with   
  
Wyatt in my free arm. It was obviously taking him longer than usual, since this injury was far superior to   
  
any other in recent recollection. I watched my husband's eyes close in utmost concentration as the limp   
  
limbs and broken skin began to heal and seal together once again. I nearly boiled over in tears when I heard   
  
Paige's initial gasp for fresh air.  
  
"Woah. Ouch."  
  
"Oh, Paige!" Phoebe shrieked with a great grin smeared across her face as she hugged her sister tight.  
  
I smiled and joined in the hugfest and laughed at the bewildered look on Paige's face.  
  
"What happened and where am I?" Paige murmured as she rubbed her head.  
  
"Don't worry, a bunch of rocks just fell on your head," Phoebe joshed, playfully mimicking the event with   
  
hand motions.  
  
Paige's eyes remained wide and sent me into tears with her next sentence, "that doesn't explain who you   
  
people are."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dun dun dun... and the plot thickens. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! This story will cease to exist if we don't   
  
start getting some reviews. :-( 


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